‘We Are Their People’ | Penn State Women’s Golf Embracing International Flare – Penn State

Below the names on the back of their golf bags rests a flag signifying the places that helped raise them. It’s a mixture of five countries spanning three continents and yet one Penn State emblem adjacent to those flags brings them together as a family in Happy Valley. 

Half of Penn State’s team hails from outside the United States including a trio of freshmen with Thailand’s Jiratchaya Jiratthitinun, Turkiye’s Zeynep Sualp, France product Lauren Thompstone and junior Myranda Quinton from Canada. 

Blended with Pennsylvania freshman Gwendolyn Powell and a trio of seniors Michelle Cox, Jami Morris and Drew Nienhaus, a true mixing of cultures happens every day on the course and beyond. 

5️⃣ countries represented on this year’s roster! 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🇫🇷 🇹🇭 🇹🇷 #WeAre #PSUWGOLF pic.twitter.com/gdr1kut5wu

— Penn State Women’s Golf (@PennStateWGolf) August 29, 2024

Jiratthitinun first met head coach Kristen Simpson during a recruiting trip for the latter at one of the premiere stages in junior golf; the 2022 Callaway Junior World Championships in San Diego, California. Jiratthitinun took home gold in the event and has found a home over 8,600 miles away from Bangkok, Thailand thanks to Nienhaus who’s taken the first-year under her wing. 

“On the first day I was back this summer, we had our alumni and friends tournament,” Nienhaus said. “I played with Yaya [Jiratthitinun], and I literally asked her a million questions, and she asked me a million questions too. I got to know her just within four hours, and I know her whole life story.” 

Simpson’s trips to Europe helped land Sualp and Thompstone who are over 5,300 and 3,700 miles away from home, respectively. Sualp served as the captain for the Turkish National Team for two seasons and said “there was no other choice for me” after building an already strong relationship with Simpson and Penn State. 

Sualp said Penn State is a reminder of her hometown in Marmaris, Turkiye, with the mountains and natural beauty of the 169-year-old campus. She said the vibrant colors of State College’s nature have given her a steady slice of home. 

That sense of home for Thompstone was felt through a computer screen in France where she connected with Simpson on a zoom call during her recruiting process. Simpson took Thompstone on a virtual tour of the facilities and the Paris product immediately tabbed the short game area as a launching pad for development.  

The…